


Phrasing

by itsab



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Crushes, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23787148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsab/pseuds/itsab
Summary: The reader is down on his luck, but then he meets Newt.
Relationships: Newt Scamander/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 55





	Phrasing

**Author's Note:**

> The reader is written using male pronouns.

Newt Scamander didn’t get along with people, magical or otherwise, but he excelled at handling animals. Beasts of the fantastic variety. He spent years of his life circumnavigating the globe, searching and researching magical creatures of all kinds. He was fascinated by them, unlike many others in the magical community. In fact, he’d made it his life-work to document them, to show other just how fantastic they are. People shouldn’t fear these creatures because they’re different, rather admire them instead.

So, he was writing a book, a textbook. He wanted to ensure that people understood magical creatures, not just knew of them. Newt had been collecting data for years, writing down every fascinating titbit of information he could – what region they were native to, what conditions they needed to be surrounded in to survive, what they feed on, it went on. Years of his life had been dedicated to this project of his, yet… he had no idea how to collate this information into a book.

That’s where Mr. Y/N Y/L came in.

The wizard had spent his early years being schooled in a muggle school, which was followed by the compulsory seven years at Hogwarts as a teen, then topped off by several more years earning a muggle Literature degree, at a University in London. After this, he spent time in a magical publishing firm, printing leaflets mostly – about the dangers of muggles knowing about magic, about the wanted criminal Gellert Grindelwald, and so on.

Newton Scamander literally ran into Y/N, in Diagon Alley, one day. Newt had been looking through the Apothecary, Y/N ‘Flourish and Blotts’, and both had exited at the same time, bumping into the other. A polite conversation had occurred, with both men being cordial, and apologetic. Then they parted ways.

The next time they met, it was in the exact same place as the time prior. Newt had been making a last-minute trip to the famous wizarding-town before his trip to Africa. He wandered out of the Apothecary, at the same time that Y/N left the bookstore.

“I’m so sorry! I believe that I wasn’t watching where I was going! It must be all these books!” Y/N grinned cordially at the blue-coated man he’d run into, trying to ease the odd, uncomfortable look on the other man’s face. “Oh, didn’t we run into each other last week?”

Y/N shouldn’t have tried to continue conversation with the clearly put-off man, but how could he not? The stranger in the blue coat was very handsome, with freckles pressed into his skin, like tiny kisses from the sun. His hair was an odd brown, that seemed to hint to copper, and blonde, yet remained brown. In his hand, he held a briefcase, larger than most seen, and very muggle.

The man avoided his gaze, and Y/N felt that he’d only perpetuated this awkward exchange for this man, “Oh, well, sorry again for bumping you!” Y/N had rushed away, confident demeanour gone after he’d realised that the other man was not pleased by his attempts at friendliness.

Y/N spent that night, thinking of the man-in-the-blue-coat.

* * *

“Y/L!” The shrill cry came from the manager of the publishing firm, cutting over the sound of paper-animals magically squawking to writers and editors. “Get in here!” Y/N had rushed into their office, only to walk out nearly ten minutes later, out of a job.

The masculine side of him demanded he control his emotions, at least until he was out of the office space, but he allowed himself to send thankful smiles to his former co-workers, when they sent him sad, apologetic looks. Now jobless, the young man wandered down to Diagon Alley, desperately seeking out his favourite shop for comfort, then stood outside the shop window for several minutes, only to walk away after serious deliberation. Y/N knew he shouldn’t buy more books, not now he wasn’t sure where his next meal may come from.

Too lost in thought, he bumped shoulders with another person’s.

“Sorry.” He mumbled, not even looking up.

“It’s alright.” The other person, now identified as male by their voice, answered. “I-I’m b-beginning to think t-that you don’t like me.”

Y/N looked up, shocked and confused by the statement from this person, only to see a familiar face shyly tilting their head away from him, awkward smile on their lips, blue coat on their back, and briefcase in their hand. Y/N let a chuckle, their bad day being eased somewhat by the handsome stranger’s comment, “You know, bump into me one more time, and I think we might really have a problem.” It was a lame joke, and was delivered by obviously sad-eyes, but the stranger still huffed out a laugh. Y/N liked that laugh, “Would you like to fetch a cuppa’ tea with me, uh, Mr…”

“Scamander, Newt Scamander. And, uh, yes, I-I would love to, Mr…”

“Y/N Y/L.”

* * *

Their quick cup of tea, turned into an abrupt luncheon, when they spent the entire morning chatting away to one another. Newt, for the first time since Hogwarts, was finding it not-too-hard to talk to someone else, and Y/N enjoying the lovely nature of the man. After spending a few years in that office, under that monster of a manager, Y/N needed someone lovely to talk to.

“So, this manuscript, how far into it, are you?”

The pair had been discussing Y/N’s recent firing, which led to a discussion on books, writing, and eventually; Newt’s manuscript. Y/N was surprised by the topic, a magical creatures’ textbook, but knew that it would be a hit, if marketed correctly.

A sheepish look dawned on the freckled face of Newt, “Uh, well, actually… I have a lot of information, but I’m not too sure on how I’m going to write it!” He thumbed his tea-cup, looking abashed, “I rarely have time on my hands, and I’m n-not too sure where I’m even supposed to begin with the manuscript.”

Taking pity on the man, Y/N offered their input. It was good advice, coming from an educated person on the subject, which Newt seriously listened to.

And it gave him an idea, “Would you like to be my writing assistant?”

* * *

“Newt,” Y/N walked over to the moon-calves’ habitat, “Could you think of a way to rephrase; ‘Demiguises’ likes to babysit’. It doesn’t sound serious enough to be in a textbook.” He was giving Newt a dead-pan face, that revealed that this perhaps wasn’t the first time he’d had to ask Newt this.

“Can’t you rephrase it for me, Y/N?” Newt whined out, causing the moon-calves’ to copy, he was busy feeding and petting the creatures. “I’m already going to credit you as the second writer!”

Y/N rolled his eyes, but it wasn’t as powerful a message, when he was trying not to smile. “Fine, Mr Scamander, but I think when I’m done with this chapter, you owe me food!” He turned around, ready to saunter off.

“It’s a date!” Y/N froze up, genuinely not expecting that response from Newt.

Neither was Newt, if the way he reacted revealed anything. His eyes were wide, and his mouth hung agape slightly, cheeks immediately reddening. Y/N turned back to face him. Newt feared the look of disgust on his face, horror at the connotations of what he’d said, but he was pleasantly surprised to see only happiness on Y/N’s face – and a flush on his cheeks.

“Yeah, alright. It’s a date, Mr Scamander.” He allowed himself to wink at him, putting a front of confidence. At least his blush wasn’t as dramatic as Newt’s.


End file.
